NORFOLK, Va. (AP) Edward Stephens and Jalen White scored 16 points apiece and South Carolina State outscored North Carolina A&T 11-2 to close the game for a 63-54 win on Tuesday night in the first round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament.

Stephens, a freshman, hit a contested 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down for a 58-54 lead with 1:33 left and White scored the final five points to seal it.

South Carolina State advances to play No. 2 seed Norfolk State in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.